“Great things in business are never done by one person. They’re done by a team of people.”
– Steve Jobs
Everyone knows the old phrase, “There’s no I in TEAM.” From the grassy fields of elementary school playgrounds to the corporate offices of the biggest global enterprises, it’s used to remind everyone that we’re all in this together.
But what do you look for when you’re building a great team. And better yet, what do you need to offer to get the invitation to join one? When it comes to our little corner of the staffing world, there are five things that really matter at Flex Tech.
Products and Services
What you know and how well you know it really matters. From name brand products to particular systems, job seekers should advertise their big projects and the equipment and systems they used to get it done in their resumes. This makes it easier for employers to know if the person they’re looking to hire will be able to walk into the job or if there’s going to be a learning curve in place.
Industry Knowledge
Knowing what industries a potential employee has worked in helps employers know what kind of background the applicant has. Retail environments with later hours and customers and merchandise near the work area are completely different than corporate campuses where most employees go home at 5:00 pm. Schools, hospitals, federal offices. They all have their own criteria and standards for who can and cannot work within their walls. An applicant’s background can help an employer match potential employee with the right kind of job
Sales
How do you present yourself? Better yet, how do you help sell yourself to potential employees? Do you interact will with end users? Were you involved in project meetings? Did you take the customer through any walk-throughs, explaining what you did or what needs to be done? As you progress in your trade, you have to be able to interact with your customer on a higher and higher level. This kind of experience lets employers know that you’ll represent the company well to the clients.
Performance Measurements
Wouldn’t it be nice to hire someone that already knew what was expected of them? Someone that understood all about motivation, dedication and efficiency. And you could tell just by reading their resume. As an employer, you should know upfront what your employee expectations are and what metrics you use to determine performance (i.e., production, profit margin, quality, quantity, etc…). As an applicant, you should share what goals you had on previous jobs and be specific on how you met or exceeded them.
Competitive Advantage
When deciding on who to invite to your team, you have to determine which applicant is going to bring the best competitive advantage to your team. And as an applicant, you need to show on your resume how you can provide this advantage. This is where everything mentioned above comes into play. Specific skills, certification, project management experience, product and industry knowledge. Any experience or knowledge that is relevant needs to be advertised.
As an employer, you need to know what you need if you want to get the best person for the job. Knowing as much about an applicant’s background can help you determine who’s going to give you the best competitive advantage.
And as an applicant, you’ve got to market yourself through your resume to show potential employees that you have the skill, knowledge and experience to make a positive impact for the company. Being specific on your resume about the products you’ve worked with, the industries you’ve worked in and the responsibilities you’ve had will help show any employer how you’re ready to join the team and make them a difference from day one.